Grand Colony Villas Hotel at Ambergris Caye, Belize Review

The Grand Colony Villas Hotel at Ambergris Caye, Belize, is definitely one of my top hotels I’ve ever stayed at. The service was phenomenal, the room exceeded expectations, and we enjoyed having a spacious and beautifully decorated room to “come home” to each night we were there. Here’s a review of the Grand Colony at Ambergris Caye in San Pedro, Belize.

Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony

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Location: 4/5

The hotel is located right on the beach and many of the rooms have beach front views. The beaches on Ambergris Caye aren’t the most stunning (it’s really all about the reefs there, in my opinion); however, the beaches are still great for lounging around and you can easily rent kayaks or go for a dip to take advantage of your close proximity to the ocean.

The hotel is located about a 5-10 minute taxi ride south of “downtown” San Pedro, which means that the you’ll have to get up in your golf cart or a taxi each time you want to venture into the heart of downtown or settle for about a 30 minute walk (taxi rides to downtown from here are $5USD one way). However, there are a number of places to eat and stores just a few seconds away from the hotel so you can definitely get by without venturing into downtown if you don’t want to. While it’s a little inconvenient to be away from downtown, if you’re looking for a quiet area to stay at, this area definitely fits the bill.

One thing I really loved about this hotel was that it was located right next door to the Belize Pro Dive Center, whom we did an amazing intro scuba dive with. The dive center was great and having them located about 60 seconds away from our hotel was even better. However, even if your dive center’s HQs are located on another part of the island, they’ll usually come by and pick you up from the nearest dock anyway.

Service: 5/5

The service was absolutely great at the hotel. The main desk is located in a little building on the other side of the street from the entrance and there is usually someone there from  about 8 to 5 pm (you can inquire with the neighboring hotel’s front desk if outside of those hours).

Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony
The main desk

As soon as we checked-in a staff member took our luggage up the three flights of stairs for us and we were given a walk through for our rooms and shown all the features. They were very helpful with booking tours, recommending places to eat, offering to make restaurant reservations, and helping us book taxis. Basically anything that we didn’t know or wanted to know, they would help us out in finding the answer.

What I really appreciated the most from the staff is them allowing us to have a late check out at 2 pm. Because of that we were able to fit in some more diving on our last day, which really completed our experience at Ambergris Caye. Talk to the staff about a late check out – as long as they don’t have any guests coming in that day, they will probably let you do it.

Facilities: 4/5

There aren’t any facilities at the hotel besides the pool area, which is really nice as you can tell by the photos. The landscaping is pretty stunning as well. However, there’s no lobby or bar or restaurant located in the hotel so I gave it 4 stars. This wasn’t a big deal since we could have all of those things by simply going next door and I’m pretty sure they could even charge our meals to our room number in the Grand Colony.

Rooms: 5/5

Our room was basically an apartment, and a very spacious one at that. The walls and ceiling were beautifully decorated and the furniture and decor had a very relaxing, amber tone.

The main bedroom had a comfy mattress and pillows and came with a huge bathroom that contained a large tub and a nice shower.

Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony
Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony
Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony

Another bedroom had two twin beds that could be pushed together and had its own bathroom with a shower as well.

Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony
Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony

There was a nice living room area with a tv, comfy couch, and relaxing decor.

Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony

The kitchen was fully equipped as well. It had multiple sinks, plenty of counter space, a full-sized refrigerator and freezer, stove, microwave, toaster, trash compactor, etc. It had everything. We even had a washer and dryer!

Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony
Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony
IMG_0560

Outside, there we had a balcony overlooking the pool and with a pretty great view of the ocean as well. (If you’re on the first or second story you probably can’t see the ocean from this part of the hotel and you’d want to look into booking the beach view rooms.)

Ambergris Caye Hotel Grand Colony
The view from the balcony!

I really think the hotel is perfect for families looking to stay longer (4-7 days). In that case, you could load up on groceries and enjoy cooking yourself a few meals without any issues, take advantage of the washer/dryer machine, and have plenty of room to relax and not feel confined to a small hotel room.

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Internet: 4/5

When we first arrived the internet was basically non-existent but it did pick up later on and actually worked quite well. Ambergris Caye is definitely not some place where you want to spend all of your time on the internet so the slow-speed wasn’t too bothersome but it was nice when the internet picked up its speed for us.

Bang for Buck: 4/5

For peak season (Jan 3 to May 1), this 2 bedroom villa is $599 per night and in the low season it is $499 per night. It’s a bit on the pricey side and although we booked it with points, we still thought that the value was good considering how spacious the villa was and how excellent the service was.

Overall: 4.3

Overall, this hotel is great for families, small groups of friends, or for couples looking for a luxurious and open room layout for their stay. This was a little bit of a splurge for us since we were there for my birthday weekend but I definitely enjoyed having such a nice and open room for my relaxation. If you’re a budget traveler, there are plenty of cheaper options you can search for here, but if you desire a bit of luxury then you might want to give this place a shot.

Grand Colony Villas Hotel at Ambergris Caye, Belize FAQ

What is the phone number for Grand Colony Villas Hotel at Ambergris Caye, Belize?

The phone number for Grand Colony Villas Hotel at Ambergris Caye, Belize is +0115012264270.

Things to Do in San Pedro/Ambergris Caye, Belize

While I’m not an expert on San Pedro/Ambergris Caye, I had a pretty amazing three days there and found that there’s plenty you can do even if you only have 48 to 72 hours to spend in this tropical paradise. Here’s a rundown on some of the top things to do when visiting Ambergris Caye, even if you only have about three days to do it!

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1. Scuba Dive

Scuba divers with sea turtle

Belize is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world, behind only the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. For that reason, I highly recommend going for a scuba dive while you’re there in Ambergis Caye. You’ll likely come across sharks, rays, sea turtles, eels, hundreds of brightly colored fish, and maybe even some dolphins if you’re lucky. My pick is to go with the Belize Pro Dive Center, as Brad and I had an unforgettable diving experience with them. They are a great company, especially if you are a rookie with no prior diving experience.

2. Snorkel at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Two angelfish and coral at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Even if you do some scuba diving, I still recommend you coupling that experience with a snorkel in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. This is a hotspot for marine life and stunning coral like elk and fire coral (that you don’t want to touch). During our snorkel at the Hol Chan Cut we came across sharks, rays, sea turtles, and a multitude of other species. There are plenty of companies that will take out for snorkeling there but we went with Searious Adventures and had a pretty good experience with them.

3. Visit Shark And Ray Alley

Nurse shark and fish at shark and ray alley

Trips to Shark And Ray Alley are typically part of a larger diving package that also dives in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve or another hotspot in the reef like Mexico Rocks. This experience will bring you within feet, and sometimes inches, of southern stingrays and nurse sharks that are driven into a feeding frenzy over chum. While you can admire the frenzy of sharks and rays from the comfort of a boat, I recommend jumping in and getting up close to these beautiful animals.

Sting ray at shark and ray alley

4. Go for a night dive!

Eel at night
Photo by Geir Friestad

This sounds a little scary but the nightlife in Ambergris Caye extends well out into the ocean. Several operators offer guided tours where you can explore the reefs at night when a whole new community of nocturnal wildlife comes out like lobster and octopus. I didn’t get a chance to do a night dive, but I will certainly look into doing it when on our next trip.

5. Explore the Blue Hole

The blue hole in Belize
Photo by The TerraMar Project

The Blue Hole, considered by many to be a natural wonder of the Americas, is an astonishing site that can be viewed or explored from Ambergris Caye. The hole is nearly 500 feet deep and scuba divers, with a bit of experience, can head down to depths of over 100 feet and explore the huge stalactites and come across sharks that appear from the depths. If diving down into this dark abyss isn’t really your style you can look into ariel tours of the Blue Hole via plane, although it’s going to cost you a little bit (about $200USD per person).

6. Play chicken drop

Chicken Drop in san pedro belize
Photo by Scott Ableman

Forget the powerball, in San Pedro, Belize, you can make your money by betting on where you think a chicken is going to drop its next load. It’s a San Pedro tradition called “Chicken Drop” and you can catch the game every Thursday evening starting at 7:00pm at Wahoo’s Lounge. You’ll pay $1BZD per ticket and bet on a number 1 through 100, with the hopes that the chicken gods will be in your favor. After a few rituals, a chicken is released onto a numbered-tiled mat and everyone cheers on the chicken, trying to lure it to their square. After it’s all said and done, the winner walks away with $100BZD but not before they assume the duty of cleaning up the drops!

7. Enjoy the bars and restaurants

Man with blue drink

There are plenty of restaurants and bars all around the island and many of them serve up some pretty tempting seafood and refreshing drinks that you can enjoy as you look out over the surrounding turquoise waters. Apart from all the diving and snorkeling, those relaxing moments of kicking back and having a relaxing drink on the coast were among my favorite memories on the island.

Lobster with shrimp kabobs
Seafood platter from the Knook Restaurant.

We stayed south of downtown at the Grand Colony Villas (in a nice, spacious hotel room), where we enjoyed cinnamon buns at The Baker and eating at breakfast burritos at El Divino Caribbean Steakhouse & Martini Bar.

Cinnamon roll
Cinnamon bun from The Baker

If you’re in the downtown area, be sure to check out the Palapa Bar and Grill for tasty burgers and a unique opportunity to get your drink on while floating the ocean in an inter tube. (Note: we chose the Palapa Bar located close to downtown  not the location north of the bridge.)

Bacon cheese burger
Giant burger from Palapa Bar and Grill.

8. Rent a golf cart

Golf carts on busy road

The most common method of transportation around the Island is definitely golf cart. You can rent golf carts for around $60-75USD per day and many of the carts can hold up to 6 people. The ride is a bit bumpy and there are some pretty aggressive taxi-vans to contend with on the roads, but riding around on a golf cart is definitely the way to go in San Pedro!

These are by no means all you pack into your stay in San Pedro but they should give you an idea of some of the most exciting and interesting things to do during your stay at Ambergris Caye!

Snorkeling at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve with Searious Adventures

A must for any visitor to San Pedro, Belize, is a trip to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve off the coast of Ambergris Caye, Belize. This protected area is chock-full of marine life and beautiful corals and is easily accessed via a short boat ride from the island. Here’s a review of my recent snorkeling trip to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

Booking the tour

We booked our tour with Searious Adventures. The tour — which included a stop at Shark and Ray Alley — was relatively cheap and came out to about $95 USD for two people, which included all equipment, park entrance fees, and even some post-dive refreshments.

We actually booked our tour the day before our dive and booked it through a hotel so while you can book online you don’t always have to do so.

Searious Adventures will come pick you up from wherever your hotel is so you don’t have to worry about traveling to their headquarters and can just wait for the boat to come pick you up at the nearest dock.

Our tour had a total of 20 people on the boat so it was pretty packed. Luckily, the boat ride is only about 10 minutes away, as the marine reserve is very close. Once we arrived to our diving area, we hopped into the warm Caribbean waters and they  divided us up into groups of 6, 7, and 7. From that point, each group had one guide who led them through the reef independently so the group size was definitely manageable.

Overall, everything was run pretty organized and efficiently and I can’t say I had any complaints about the service.

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The Hol Chan Marine Reserve

The marine reserve is one of the primary spots for snorkeling in the area. In fact, I think many would agree that it’s the best spot (or one of the best spots) for snorkeling in all of Belize.  It’s a very popular spot and so don’t be surprised to see many other divers, both scuba and snorkelers, out and about when you arrive.

The reserve is fairly young as it wasn’t established until 1987, after concerns grew about unregulated overfishing and diving. The Belize government not only protected this area but also protected the neighboring sea grass beds and mangroves, which are all interlinked and provide support to all of the sea life, up and down the food chain.

The focus of diving at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve is on the “Hol Chan Cut.” This is a naturally occurring channel, about 25 yards wide and 30 feet deep, which was always highly utilized as a means of getting in and out of the reef area. Hol Chan actually translates to “little channel” in Mayan and is where the preserve got its name.

Diver at bottom of Hol Chan Marine Reserve Channel
A diver at the bottom of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve Channel

Due to the narrow formation of the channel, it’s also where strong currents move in and out of the reef area. They day we went for our snorkel, our guide told us that the current was pushing out to sea so we needed to remain mindful at all times of where we were in relation to the channel. While this was a little concerning, we never once felt like we were at risk of being washed out to sea so just stay close to your guide and you’ll probably be just fine.

Man floating in water
Our guide leading our dive.

We had done a scuba dive the day before out on the reef and while it was an amazing experience, we actually came across more wildlife on our snorkeling tour. The fish were out in droves and it was difficult to keep up with all of the different types of species we were coming across! We saw parrot fish, hog fish, angel fish, grouper, huge snapper, and even barracuda! Some of the fish, such as the snapper, looked like behemoths moving through the water.

Coral at Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Black fish at Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Two angelfish at Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Fish and coral at Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Fish and coral at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

When we approached the channel, several schools of fish were swimming about below us and our guide started to point out a host of other species.

Group of sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

At one point a nurse shark, probably about five feet long, came into the channel and looked to be hunting something under a large patch of reef. Right next to the nurse shark, a moray eel was peering up at us after a diver prodded him out of his dark crevice.

Shark at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

One cool thing I wish I would’ve given a go was taking a free dive through a small hole in the reef. It looked like fun but also looked pretty deep and I didn’t have any experience with free-diving so I passed on the opportunity. Still, plenty of others were enjoying the dive through the miniature cave.

Diver at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

After spending quite some time at the channel we moved on to much shallower depths, where he hovered over reef in about three to four feet of water. This is when we were able to get very close views of the coral and reefs and eventually came across a sea turtle.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve sea turtle

While there were quite a few other divers in the area, it wasn’t so swamped as to be annoying or uncomfortable, so hopefully you won’t have any major issues with that. One thing that could’ve been a little better is the timing. Our boat was running a bit late and so when we arrived to the diving area, it looked like everyone else had already arrived. I think that if we had been able to arrive a little bit earlier we may have been able to beat the crowds a bit, especially when we went over to Shark and Ray Alley.

Shark at shark and Ray Alley

After about an hour of diving we got back in the boat and then headed to Shark and Ray Alley. You can read about my experience there here, but in short, it was a an exciting, yet short-lived stop. When we got over there, several boats had already been there for quite some time. I’m not 100% sure, but it seems like if we had arrived there a little bit earlier we may have gotten a better response from the rays and sharks who likely would have been hungrier. Still, it was a great time and I really enjoyed getting so close to the sharks and rays.

Ray at shark and ray alley

In conclusion, a snorkel excursion into the Hol Chan Marine reserve is definitely a must-do activity at Amergris Caye, Belize. There are plenty of other places to see and explore but I’d highly recommend making this a part of your trip to Ambergris Caye when you visit!

Belize Pro Dive Center: Amazing Intro Scuba Diving at Ambergris Caye, Belize

Searching for a good intro scuba diving tour can be a bit nerve wracking. For one, you want to make sure that you’re going to be left in good hands and that you’ll have a skilled and knowledgable instructor. Secondly, you want to be able to have a relaxing and exciting tour where you’re able to spend plenty of time in the ocean exploring the reef. If you’re looking for a beginner or intro scuba dive tour in Ambergris Caye, Belize, then I highly recommend going with Belize Pro Dive Center.

Outside of Belize Pro Dive Center

Here’s a review of our recent experience with them.

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Communication is superb from the beginning

We booked our tour about a month in advance and from the first email I sent to the Dive Center, I was thoroughly impressed with the swift responses I received from Belize Pro Dive Center staff, answering all of my questions and putting me at ease.

They worked with me to put together the best package for me and made sure that all of my concerns were met while booking. If you value quick responses and excellent customer service then you won’t be let down by this company.

Pricing

The pricing for the intro training course and one dive for two people was $340 USD, which was not bad, considering how long the dive was and the level of service we were given.

The orientation was thorough but not exhausting

This was my fifth scuba dive but Brad’s first, thus I had just a little bit of experience having gone through a few introduction dives before. I’ll say that my experience with the Belize Pro Dive Center was the best out of all of them. The reason is that our guide, Ian, was a very talented instructor and the entire process from beginning to end ran without a hitch.

The dive center first situated us in a swimming pool for the training. Our instructor Ian went over the gear and how everything works and then we immediately got started on the skills of locating our respirator, removing water from our goggles, equalizing pressure in our ears, and learning how to control our buoyancy.

During this process, Brad had some issues with his goggles leaking and had to try on like four or five pairs to finally get a pair that fit. Our guide was very patient through this process and insisted that Brad get just the right fit for his goggles before we proceeded to head out on the boat.

Tip: If you’re a newb like me and don’t know, shaving your mustache will cut down on water leaking into your goggles!

After about 30 to 40 minutes of splashing about in chlorinated waters of the Banyan Bay Hotel pool, we were all set and ready to load up in the boat and head out to the second largest barrier reef in the world!

Ready for the dive

There were about 10 divers total who went along with us on the boat but our diving group consisted only of Ian and me and Brad. This made for a pretty intimate experience and it was great for Brad since it was his first ever scuba dive and his nerves were a little (okay a lot) on edge.

After we made it about 10-15 minutes out to sea we were at our diving spot. The surf had kicked up a bit so we had to jump into some pretty choppy water conditions. All my other previous dives were into completely calm waters so it made me feel a little uneasy but Ian reiterated that once we were submerged a few feet, the currents wouldn’t affect us.

Man in water

This being Brad’s first dive, he was getting a bit anxious going down and I could sense a bit of panic knocking on the door. As Brad grew more tense by the second, Ian emphasized slow breathing and worked to calm Brad’s nerves. It took a little bit of time, but I think Ian earned Brad’s trust, which is an invaluable asset for any instructor and why I think this place is a sure-fire way to go for beginners like ourselves.

Scuba divers floating in ocean
Getting ready to descened

Once Brad got a bit settled, we were finally ready to descend in a smooth and controlled fashion to the ocean floor. From that point on it was pure diving bliss for both me and Brad!

Scuba divers on ocean floor
Everybody calm and collected now!
Scuba divers on ocean floor
Our guide posing with us.

Exploring new depths

My previous scuba dives had consisted of reaching maximum depths of up to 30 feet but in this dive I believe we hit up to 50-60 feet, so that was an entirely new experience for me. As I looked back up at the surface of the water from the sea floor, I could tell that we’d descended much deeper than I had ever done and was excited to start exploring the reef at these depths.

Scuba divers in ocean
Ready to roll!
Scuba diver in ocean

Ian wore a wristband so he could communicate to us via what looked like some kind of special underwater pencil. This was really an asset as we could communicate with more than mere hand signals if something went awry. But what was really cool about it is that he could tell us what all of the fish and coral that we were seeing were. This interactive approach to diving was a first for me and it really enriched our underwater experience.

Scuba diver
Our instructor scribbling down some notes.
Scuba divers
Me reading the instructor’s notes.

The wildlife

We moved through the reef at a steady pace but with plenty of pauses to appreciate and investigate our surroundings. At one point a sea turtle approached and Ian took our GoPro to get some awesome shots of the sea turtle and even got some shots of me and Brad. Despite my previous dives in the Great Barrier Reef, I’d never encountered a sea turtle so I was pretty thrilled to have such a close encounter with one.

Sea turtle and scuba divers
Sea turtle!
Sea turtle and scuba divers
Brad on his way to getting a little too close for comfort to the sea turtle.

We saw tons of other marine life as well, such as trumpet fish, hog fish, grouper, parrot fish, angel fish, and tons of other brightly colored fish and interestingly shaped coral. Although it was fun recording video with the GoPro on the dive, I found out that I much prefer using an underwater camera to capture stills rather than video, so next time I head out I’m going to go with a standard underwater camera.

Every so often, Ian checked up on our oxygen/pressure levels and monitored us closely, constantly checking in with us to make sure we were good. We never once felt like we were being unattended for longer than we’d like.

Scuba divers
Ian adjusting Brad’s gear mid-dive.

A longer intro dive

Another difference with this intro dive from previous dives I had done was the length — our dive lasted for about 47 minutes, which was much longer than the 25-30 minute dives I’d done before. Of course, time flies when you’re having fun so it felt shorter than that but I liked that we were able to stay down there for so long.

Scuba diver
Coral

At the end of our dive we paused midway to the surface to prevent decompression sickness and then finally surfaced and waited for our boat to come and get us as we bobbed in the water. The boat soon picked us up and we were back in the boat in no time and headed back to shore.

The verdict

Without a doubt, I highly recommend the Belize Pro Dive Center and if you can catch him, book your intro dive with Ian (I’m sure the other instructors are awesome as well). If you’ve never done an intro dive don’t underestimate the impact that a good instructor can have on keeping you calm. It can make all the difference and I really think it helped Brad get settled and enjoy the dive. Unfortunately, I got hit with a bad dizzy spell after our dive and we decided to just explore the island after our first dive, but I will definitely be going back to Belize Pro Dive Center when we return to Ambergris Caye in the future!

Shark And Ray Alley at The Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize Review

For many, Shark Ray Alley is a must-see destination when visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize. The appeal of swimming (or at least viewing) a frenzy of hungry nurse sharks and stingrays is an appeal that’s hard to beat. Brad and I felt the same way and were eager to experience Shark and Ray Alley and so we booked a tour with Searious Adventures to check it out.

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First, let me state that Shark Ray Alley isn’t really a diving destination, it’s really just a “stop.” That is, you want to make sure you book a tour that takes you out to the reef hotspots on the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (or some other hot spot) for at least an hour or so to snorkel/scuba so that you can see the rich marine life that Belize has to offer. While snorkeling the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, we saw multiple rays and a pretty big nurse shark in addition to a sea turtle, eel, and countless numbers of beautiful species of fish that were nothing short of stunning.

Nurse Shark at Shark and Ray Alley
Nurse Shark at Shark and Ray Alley

I’m not even sure if there are tours that just go solely to Shark Ray Alley but if you see one that does I recommend you avoid it and opt for a tour that includes a lengthy dive at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. The dive we did with Searious Adventures lasted from 9 am to about 11:30 am and included a snorkel in Hol Chan, which lasted for a little over an hour and then a quick stop to Shark and Ray Alley.

So why am I preaching to make sure to include other dives and don’t just stick to Shark and Ray Alley? The answer is that there really isn’t much to see for very long at Shark Ray Alley.

For one, there’s really nothing in that area but a bunch of sea grass. No reef, no marine life, no anything. (However, there apparently are some pretty cool coral to check out nearby so perhaps you can inquire with your tour operator about exploring those.)

Sea grass
Shark and Ray Alley after the sharks and rays leave…

The sharks and rays only come out when they hear the engines from the boats rumbling nearby. And then once the instructors throw out the chum, the sharks and rays come directly to that specific spot. So the name “Shark and Ray Alley” is a little misleading since it’s not like you’re visiting a hot spot where sharks and rays normally roam — it’s really just an area where the sharks grew accustomed to being lured to once fisherman started throwing out free meals to them years ago.

But still, even though you’re not catching the sharks and rays in their true “natural habitat” it’s still a pretty thrilling sight to see a group of nurse sharks go at it for some chum for a few minutes.

Nurse Shark at Shark and Ray Alley
Nurse Shark at Shark and Ray Alley

Should you be nervous to enter shark and ray alley?

Guy wearing snorkel and goggles
Getting ready to enter the water.

If you’re wondering whether or not you should be nervous around these sharks and rays don’t worry — they’re pretty much harmless to humans.

Nurse Shark at Shark and Ray Alley
Nurse Shark at Shark and Ray Alley

Our guide told us that the nurse sharks don’t have any teeth at all and can merely “suck” on you, as they tend to do as bottom-dwellers. However, according to National Geographic, they actually do have teeth, it’s just that their teeth are very tiny and thus it’s unlikely that they would cause injury to you. Still, some nurse sharks can grow up to 14 feet long and even the smaller ones could still get a little aggressive and cause you some unwanted issues. For that reason, it’s a good idea to keep a little bit of distance between you and the sharks and avoid touching them.

Southern sting ray at Shark and Ray Alley
Southern sting ray

As for the rays, you’re most likely to see southern stingrays. These are brownish rays that are found throughout the Caribbean and northern coast of South America. They are pretty docile toward humans and many of the rays at Shark Ray Alley have been conditioned to be friendly with divers — so much that they might even flap their wings right onto you. Still, just be careful that you don’t step on one as that seems to be the leading cause of injury with these marine animals. Luckily, the visibility at Shark Ray Alley is so good that you shouldn’t ever have any issues with losing sight of the stingrays.

Two Southern sting ray at Shark and Ray Alley
Two stingrays battling for the chum.

Enjoy it while you can

One thing you should know is that the shark feast is over before you know it. Once the sharks start swarming on the chum, you’ve got about 5-10 minutes to experience these sharks before they’ve had enough and are out! The shark frenzy dissipates and if you’re lucky you might still be able to catch a glimpse of a ray or two but even the rays check-out pretty quickly as well. We only had two rays converge, but I’ve seen photos and heard reports of up to a dozen rays coming out to get it on the chum action!

Nurse shark at Shark and Ray Alley

Shark and Ray Alley is a spectacle and probably one of the best opportunities for snorkeling in close proximity to nurse sharks and rays. It’s a pretty transient experience that is a nice top-off to a morning of colorful and eventful snorkeling, but not exactly a destination that stands alone on its own. Still, whether you’re going to view from a boat or jump into the waters with them, it’s a destination worth checking out.

Getting from Belize City Airport (BZE) to San Pedro/Ambergris Caye

There are two main ways to get to Ambergris Caye from Belize City: by boat or by plane. What route is best for you depends on your budget, how much you value time and convenience, and your comfort level with riding in a tiny plane. Here’s a look at some things to consider when choosing how to get to San Pedro.

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San Pedro Belize Hotels?

Ambergris Caye can be easily divided into two main parts: south of the bridge and north of the bridge.

Map of San Pedro Belize
It’s about a 10-minute taxi ride to the bridge from the airport.

South of the bridge is where the real “city” is and north of the bridge is quieter and has less traffic. I’ve stayed in both parts before and enjoyed them both, so you can’t really go wrong.

However, if you like things a little quieter and don’t mind renting a golf cart (which I highly recommend), then I’d go with hotels north of the bridge.

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Ferry vs plane to San Pedro

Here are the prices and estimated times you can expect for making your way to San Pedro via ferry or plane.

By Ferry

The ferry ride is about 75 minutes one way from Belize City to San Pedro.

I’ve seen prices at the following rates: 

  • $28 (one-way) 
  • $38 (roundtrip) 

But I’ve also seen prices a little cheaper ($25) when booking with GuateGo so you might want to give them a look. You can book all the main destinations in Belize starting from the airport to the water
taxi station or connect to Caye Caulker, Caye ambergris, Chetumal, etc. 

Chart of booking taxi

You can check out the other prices for the ferry route and others nearby destinations here.  

Keep in mind that if you’re coming from BZE airport you’ll need to pay an additional $25 for taxi fare to the airport to the Marine Terminal.

By Plane

Maya Island Air plane
Maya Island Air plane. Photo by Aero Icarus

If you’re in a crunch for time then going by plane may be the better route for you. It only takes about 20 minutes to get from BZE to Ambergris Caye/San Pedro by plane and the plane ride is stunning as you soar a few thousand feet above the turquoise waters and reef. 

This option is more costly, however.

There are two airlines that fly from BZE to San Pedro’s airport (SPR): Maya Island Air and Tropic Air.

My first time to San Pedro, we flew Maya Island Air and for the two of us roundtrip it cost us $315.02 including all taxes and fees. I put in the same information for Tropic Air and the total came out to $315 as well. Each person is allowed a checked bag up to 50 pounds but after that fees may be incurred.

My second time to San Pedro, I flew Tropic Air.

Tropic Air has many more flights and nicer stations for departure from the island and we had more room inside their planes, although the planes can still be very cramped depending on where you sit.

Tip: Try to be one of the last to board the plane and the staff should force others to scoot up a row leaving you a seat in one of the back rows which will give you more room. 

Overall, Tropic Air felt a bit more “legit” to me so in the future I will probably look to fly with them.

Save money flying to and from Belize Municipal Airport

If you book the flight from the Belize Municipal Airport (TZA) to San Pedro it’s about $192 for two people round-trip.

It costs about $18 to take a taxi from the international airport to the TZA so the total cost for two would be about $100 cheaper.

For us, we were only going to be in Belize for 2 nights/3 days, so the more daylight we could get, the better and we opted to just have our flight departing and arriving from the domestic terminal at BZE.

However, if you’re flying with a larger group or say a family of four then your savings will be greater and it might just be worth it to fly from Belize Municipal Airport.

For example, for four adults the cost would be $631 from BZE but $384 from TZA, a savings of about $230 when you factor in the connecting taxi.

Ocean view from Cessna
Clouds reflecting off the shallow waters.

Booking online or at the airport?

I’d come across some people online talking about it being cheaper to book the tickets at the airport versus online but I inquired with the folks at Maya Airlines and they told me that that is not the case — the prices will be the same whether you book in person or online.

Reservations are a good thing but are loosely followed

I really wish I had known this before our trip as it would’ve made planning our connecting flights to much easier!

While it’s a good thing to make reservations for your flight from Belize City to San Pedro, you don’t actually have to get on that specific flight time.

Basically, they operate the flights on a first come-first serve basis and so whether you are early or late you can likely just catch the next flight to or from San Pedro, which means you don’t have to stress out when planning your connecting flights.

Tip: the flights usually go out every hour but they sometimes will have a couple of planes going out every hour so just check with them and see because you may not have to wait the full hour.

The planes are really small

Three guys in Cessna
All smiles after take off.

This probably won’t be a major issue for most but I think it’s worth mentioning that these planes (called “puddle jumpers”) are tiny and can feel extremely confining.

I definitely battle claustrophobia a bit and it took a bit of extra effort to not get worked up when I first stepped into our plane.

Once the plane took off and I was overwhelmed with the amazing scenery it was easy to calm down and relax, but just consider your comfort-level with small spaces before you definitely choose which route you want to go.

Ocean and beach view from Cessna
View on the way to Ambergris Caye

A word on Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE)

If you’re like me and enjoy arriving early to airports to relax in a nice lounge for an hour or two before your departure you’re going to be very disappointed in BZE.

There are no lounges and no *real* restaurants, just a few snack/souvenir shops and rows of wooden benches. The airport isn’t much nicer than your average bus stop and so this is one of those airports where you probably want to spend as little time as possible inside.

On the other hand, I will say that the staff at the airport was very helpful and friendly. If you arrive at BZE and aren’t sure where to go for your connecting flight to San Pedro just ask one of the staff members.

They all seemed to speak greta English and went the extra mile to make sure we were relaxed about finding our connecting flight.

Update: the airport now has wifi so that will help you pass the time a little better!

Tip: If you’re coming from San Pedro, I recommend finding a bar or restaurant near the Maya Island or Tropic Air side of the airport and then heading to the airport to catch a flight about a 1.5 hours before your scheduled boarding time.

Getting to your hotel from the San Pedro Airport

Many hotels offer complimentary taxi service from the airport to your hotel. Check with your hotel and make sure they do so you can save a few bucks. Also, there are golf cart rentals available right next to the airport for you as well.

I highly recommend renting a golf cart! They are an excellent way to explore the island and make your life a lot easier.

If you want to learn more about San Pedro, Belize check out my list of top things to do.